I was having lunch with a friend the other day, and he asked “WHEN DO YOU REALLY KNOW?’ He was basically asking, am I saved. He had grown up in the church all his life, but couldn’t fix a time or date on an “event”.

I related that I got “saved” in three stages; intellectual, emotional, and willful over a 16 year period. The final stage happening at the age of 46. I suggested that we nail that down right here and now.

And so we prayed “Dear God I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died for my sins. I am willing to turn from my sins. I now invite Jesus to come into my heart and life as my personal Savior. I am willing to follow Jesus as lord of my life.”

Then I told him that he could mark this day in his life as the “event” I also referred him to I John 5:11-13

11        And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12        He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13        I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (The operative word being know.)

And the angels rejoiced!